Celebrating one of our Brides-to-be...

We were lucky enough to design and coordinate a Bridal Shower for one of our VIB's (Very Important Brides) this past weekend.  Her sister enlisted our services since she didn't live in the area, relying on our expertise from start to finish.
We created this fabulous event for her with a delicious menu from Chef Sean of Temper Grille. The quaint and private atmosphere of his restaurant was the perfect setting for this afternoon soiree.

Our theme was a kitchen shower. Christina of Cloud9 designed the invitations to include a recipe card, which will be bound in a recipe book for her later.

Guests took home "love beyond measure" measuring spoons with engraved messages such as "A Pinch of Patience" = ¼ teaspoon, "A Dash of Kindness" = ½ teaspoon, "A Spoonful of Laughter" = one teaspoon, and "A Heap of Love" = one tablespoon.

We couldn't resist to call upon our favorite desserts from Alexis at Cakewalk. She made the brides' favorite, 'lemon lavender' cake pops for a sweet finish!

Kinney / Parisi Wedding 05.01.10

Couldn't wait to share some of the images we took of this beautiful wedding held May 1, 2010.

This couple shared their vows at The Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame then celebrated late into the night at the nearby Hilton Garden Inn Gillespie Conference Center.  Once again the staff there made it a pleasure to design this special celebration!

We used a saturation of deep blue and purple hues to create this passionate atmosphere. Hats off to ProShow, our lighting partner, for creating an environment the couple dreamed of.

Summer Wind photography did an excellent job capturing the day. We can't wait to get some detail photos from her. See her blog for more images.

The chosen band was "Special 20's" from Chicago. They frequently play at The House of Blues and do fabulous job entertaining.

Another highlight was hearing from a talented family friend Greg Rini. We hope to bring him on board for some future events... fantastic!

Of course, Alexis from CakeWalk created another delectable confection.

Thank you to all of our wonderful team of vendors, whom together made the event a huge success!

Caitlin Nish weds David Pearson 09.12.09

The week's forecast called for a 40% chance of rain and storms. I really didn't want anything more disrupting this couples' wedding plans! We pre-planned it all with back up tents and side
walls, but were hopeful that the weather would change. This area is notorious for a 'change in the weather'. By mid-week it all turned around. The prediction was sunny and 78. Perfect!

You may have heard the reviews and dissatisfaction of some brides recent experiences at Willow Harbor. Admittedly, this was a large concern for us as well. A little over a month ago, we joined Caitlin and Dave for one last site visit before their big day. Disappointment in what they saw was an understatement. We promised that we would do all we could to be sure their wedding was spectacular! We came prepared with over 100 plants and foliage, buckets and pine sol to clean, a shop vac and our toolbox in hand. However, as we arrived mid-afternoon Friday for our preliminary set up, my jaw dropped in pleasant surprise! Willow Harbor looked BEAUTIFUL!!! The grass was lush and green, no longer patchy and brown and freshly mowed and trimmed like a golf course! Staff was busy cleaning the interior of the tent. The dance floor had been replaced with a brand new one... we didn't have to do a single thing to clean anything!

Although the experience was challenging, Willow Harbor is back on our preferred vendor list to being a great choice for your wedding ceremony and reception venue.

Bob from CK catering continues to be one of our top picks for catering. They did a superb job on presentation and taste as they served guests efficiently. As always, their staff is a pleasure to work with.

Charlie from The Liquor Locker equipped the bar with the couple's choice of spirits. Willow Harbor staffed the bars in the Polo Barn and in the main tent with professional bartenders who also did an excellent job.

'Cakewalk' for the beautiful cake... lavender lemon flavored. Yummy! Alexis Davis is consistently making stunning cakes that taste great!

And certainly last, but not least... MAC DADDY rocked the dance floor! Neither Caitlin nor David had seen this band preform prior to their wedding. They completely relied on our recommendation. Shortly after the first set, Dave came to me with sheer excitement and said "this band is great!" A full dance floor all night long proved the fun provided by this top notch band!

One Beautiful Bride = One Fabulous Wedding

Ok, so I'm a little bias on this one. OUR Ashley (can i say that?!) recently wed the lucky Brian Joines. The ceremony and reception will be one to remember.
The Challenge:
Trying to come up with a new concept that Ashley hasn't seen. She's worked with me for several years now and has helped create some pretty amazing events for Merry Me. How could we out-do and produce something beyond the 'been there, seen that' experience for this very special young lady?
The Plan:
We were determined as a team to do as much as we could without her knowing and to design some one-of-a-kind custom decor with never been used color combos, lots of textures and styles to make it uniquely her own. We put on our creative thinking caps and got to work.
The Result:
Fabulous!
I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of joy when Ashley and Brian entered the tent. Ashley began to giggle and smile and giggle some more as she was surprised and excited all in one. We were once again able to accomplish the wow factor kind of event we had aimed for.

Take a look at some of my favorite shots. Amanda Fales and her husband Andy outdid themselves with the photography they captured that day. Alexis Davis of CakeWalk designed irresistible and delicious cakes. Matterhorn catering prepared a flawless and fantastic meal. The Historical Oliver Gardens hosted the event with outstanding hospitality! A team of professionals who together, despite the rain surprise in the middle of the day, pulled off one fantastic soiree.

Check out one of our newest custom designs... we call these the "Ashley Chandeliers". Innovative decor made in-house with our team of designers thinking outside the box! We'd love to help create your fairytale...